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Their multi-colored glow lit off a succession of other tree lights along Main Street, officially bringing Christmas to downtown Hendersonville.

Seeing the excitement in her grandchildren’s eyes reminded city resident Beverly Barney of the true joy of the season. As an adult with grown children, she may not have come to the event on her own, but with her grandbabies home for Thanksgiving she was happy to be there.

“It puts you in the spirit,” she said, holding 14-month-old Skylar Fiddner.

Three-year-old Ava Fiddner, with a mouth full of chocolate, was a little shy around Santa Claus, said her mother and Barney’s daughter, Samantha Fiddner.

“She wouldn’t look at him,” she said.

But there was no love lost for the red-clad Saint. Ava said she was still a fan.

This was Barney’s first time attending the Historic Downtown Hendersonville’s Holiday Tree Lighting with her granddaughters. On Saturday, they’re on board to visit the Polar Express.

“Did you come to keep me warm?” Barber asked as she hugged her in front of a throng of children that drew close to hear stories of Christmases past.

Barber told the tale of her father’s first camera, which he assembled from parts of other cameras at the family’s photography shop downtown. The Barber family, working with the Baker clan, helped record Hendersonville’s history through photographs. Today, there are more than 120 images in the Baker-Barber collection.

Barber regaled the crowd with the story of a “friendly Christmas ghost,” which seemed to always come home for the holidays at their shop downtown.

“We called him the friendly Barber ghost,” she said.

Then, donning a new hat, Barber fell into the role of a ghost from Christmas past — Claudia Holt Oates, wife of the man who brought electricity to downtown. Electricity was a “big thing” back in the early 1900s when her husband, Robert Oates Jr., brought the lights to Main Street, Oates said.

And in a tribute to the Oateses, Barber asked the crowd to help her bring the lights once again to downtown with a countdown.

Entertainers from the Flat Rock Playhouse gathered around the microphone to sing “Here Comes Santa Claus” as the jolly old elf pulled up in a horse-drawn carriage. Swarmed by a mass of fans and paparazzi, Santa slowly made his way through the courthouse square, tossing candy to children.

<p>Roaring applause from a few hundred spectators Friday night triggered the flip of a switch that lit two giant spruce trees with Christmas lights in front of the Historic Courthouse. </p><p>Their multi-colored glow lit off a succession of other tree lights along Main Street, officially bringing Christmas to downtown Hendersonville. </p><p>Seeing the excitement in her grandchildren's eyes reminded city resident Beverly Barney of the true joy of the season. As an adult with grown children, she may not have come to the event on her own, but with her grandbabies home for Thanksgiving she was happy to be there.</p><p>“It puts you in the spirit,” she said, holding 14-month-old Skylar Fiddner.</p><p>Three-year-old Ava Fiddner, with a mouth full of chocolate, was a little shy around Santa Claus, said her mother and Barney's daughter, Samantha Fiddner. </p><p>“She wouldn't look at him,” she said.</p><p>But there was no love lost for the red-clad Saint. Ava said she was still a fan.</p><p>This was Barney's first time attending the Historic Downtown Hendersonville's Holiday Tree Lighting with her granddaughters. On Saturday, they're on board to visit the Polar Express. </p><p>Seven-year-old Evelyn VanderVeen stayed close by her grandmother, Mary Louise Barber.</p><p>“Did you come to keep me warm?” Barber asked as she hugged her in front of a throng of children that drew close to hear stories of Christmases past. </p><p>Barber told the tale of her father's first camera, which he assembled from parts of other cameras at the family's photography shop downtown. The Barber family, working with the Baker clan, helped record Hendersonville's history through photographs. Today, there are more than 120 images in the Baker-Barber collection.</p><p>Barber regaled the crowd with the story of a “friendly Christmas ghost,” which seemed to always come home for the holidays at their shop downtown. </p><p>“We called him the friendly Barber ghost,” she said.</p><p>Then, donning a new hat, Barber fell into the role of a ghost from Christmas past — Claudia Holt Oates, wife of the man who brought electricity to downtown. Electricity was a “big thing” back in the early 1900s when her husband, Robert Oates Jr., brought the lights to Main Street, Oates said.</p><p>And in a tribute to the Oateses, Barber asked the crowd to help her bring the lights once again to downtown with a countdown.</p><p>Entertainers from the Flat Rock Playhouse gathered around the microphone to sing “Here Comes Santa Claus” as the jolly old elf pulled up in a horse-drawn carriage. Swarmed by a mass of fans and paparazzi, Santa slowly made his way through the courthouse square, tossing candy to children.</p><p>Reach Weaver at emily.weaver@blueridgenow.com or 828-694-7867.</p>